maddgenius
ODI Debutant
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2013
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- 9,862
Since I'm a participant myself, I can't rank my own team so my top 3 are
1- Therealab
2- Freelance
3- Kaddy
-
Contact the PP Team
10 Test teams from hypothetical draft - Choose your TOP THREE!
- Thread starter Abdullah719
- Start date
Since I'm a participant myself, I can't rank my own team so my top 3 are
1- Therealab
2- Freelance
3- Kaddy
maddgenius
ODI Debutant
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2013
- Runs
- 9,862
Updated Standings
Only 28 voters so far!!!!!
Come on people - it’s just few minutes task, take a look at all 10 teams at a glance and put 1-2-3 from your hunch: in such selections giving 2 minutes or two hours hardly matters, better do it in a haste rather than not doing it at all.
On a side note, I would like to know about my first team as well - I have made few changes from that first XI from my first selection. This is the final one - please do discuss this one as well
1. Arthur Morris - he was rated as the best opener by Bradman, at a time when Hutton was in this late 20s. With a solid technique behind, Morris was the old fashioned opener who believed that his task will be completed if he could see off the second ball on second morning!!!! He makes a left-right combo as well at the opening slot. A close call between Morris & Lawry with almost identical stats, but I went for the older Aussie for his brilliant conversion rate.
2. RB Simpson - guy averaged 55+ as opener for close to 4K runs (75% of his career); was effective leggi as well and probably the best ever first slip fielder. He made one of the best ever opening pairS in history with Lawry and he left the game at 31, only to make a come back to lead Packer reject Aussies ten years later, already well into his 40s - that dented his career stats, but at his prime he was undoubtedly the best Test opener for a decade between Hutton and BA Richards/Gavaskar. A brilliant thinker of the game as well.
3. Neil Hervey - different era, therefore incomparable, but this guy had a higher reputation among peers than most of the batsmen picked here in 10 teams. He was one of the very best ever spin players among white players and a brilliant batsman of moving ball as well; he did open few times as well. Reputed to be the most perfect No. 3 (after the guy excluded here in draft), Hervey played some of the best ever Test innings under pressure; at his prime, arguably he was the best batsman of 1950s (yes, when 3Ws & Hutton, Compton were around) - his career average got under 50 for his last 1-2 series. It’s widely accepted that Hervey’s stats could have been much better had he curbed his aggressiveness, but that’s what made him - supreme style. His versatility was endorsed by the fact that he had Test hundreds at 15 different venues and he scored FC runs across globe at similar stats. A small, lanky figure (5’7”, less than 10 stones), he was a decent WK and a brilliant close in fielder. One of few Aussies to play for both Victoria & NSW, led both of them as well, but he lead Australia only for two Tests as deputy to two guys in this list also - Benaud & Simpson, don’t think therefore it was any shame. A treat to watch & personally, I have included him in AT Australia squad of 16.
4. Mo Yousuf - wasted his career & PCB didn’t give him many Tests (probably 3 in two years) immediately after his record breaking year and then he got into trouble with PCB, otherwise guy would have finished with 10K+ runs at 55. I don’t think I need to endorse the guy as most of have seen him - an absolute treat to watch and a complete package, one that always tend to get lost among Inzi, YK, Saeed, Javed, Zaheer... but I can say that in his peak 2-3 years, he could be comparable to almost every ATG picked here.
5. IM Chappel - stats will never tell how good this guy was. For good 3-4 years, he was probably the best batsman in world when there was Sobers, Pollock, Kanhai, Simpson, Barrington .....around. His stats got a hit when he make a come back after WSC, and it was never that outstanding, but a peak IC was the hardest nut to crack under pressure & a brilliant slip fielder as well. Guy had issues with administrators and not often the most polished tongue, but no one will ever question his commitment to that baggie green cap and he was the most astute batting captain game has ever seen. He won’t be my deputy here, but that’s not for cricketing reasons.
6. Sir Frank Worell - at the end I found that Cairn actually doesn’t add enough with his combined effort - a good unity player, but just not great enough to make a telling impact in such teams. The guy was a brilliant batsman under pressure, was the best point fielder of his era, could play as opener and he was more than effective SLAO spinner - as Captain didn’t focus much on bowling, but his FC record is good and the guy was an outstanding captain as well. I am dropping Verity & Cairns for Worell and a fast bowler, we’ll see later. In my team, there are few Aussies not so reputed for their politeness- I am sure this guy Worell will balance that out considerably. He’ll be my deputy of this team.
7. Q de Kock - this guy will finish as one of the greats of the game; a better WK than Gilchrist and can better his batting stats as well. A brilliant player to come at 7, who can add invaluable 100+ runs with last 3-4 wickets in no time.
8. Richie Benaud - the guy was reputed to be arguably the greatest captain & thinker of the game; a brilliant, brilliant classical leg-spinner, one of the best ever gully fielder and more than a handy batsman at # 8. In terms of quality of runs, I don’t think there are many in the game that has contributed with bat in crisis like Benaud from bottom half of order. He played for one of the best ever generations, hence his batting wasn’t required often, but the guy had pulled Aussies from a hole with his 40s-50s almost every time it was required. I read an article somewhere - in games where AUS’s win margin was less than 50 or 3 wickets, Benaud averages like close to 50!!!!!
9. Ian Bishop - this one is new addition, instead of Cairns. This guy is probably the most underrated fast bowler of all time, who had to leave cricket at 29, when he should have been entering his prime. At his peak (1992 WACA), I believe he was as fast as anyone, coming from a 6’6” frame with a sublime smooth action. His FC stats are brilliant and most of it was acquired at Derbyshire; could bat as well.
10. I initially picked Bob Willis & Sir Alec Bedsar for 10 & 11; but eventually I had to accommodate Rabada - guy at 23 became World’s top fast bowler and already has close to 200 wickets at <23, including 4 10fors (stats that has got a hit in recent times, it was around 21 for first 170 wickets!!). This guy can end as a true ATG, can bat a bit a well & he is a complete fast bowler - from the day of his U19 heroics a stand alone prospect. Can be quite handy No. 10 as well with bat.
11. Alec Bedsar - Comparable stats, but eventually, I went for the guy with 5 10fors & 15 5fors in 51 Tests compared to Willis’s 0/16 in 90. Sir Alec’s figures could have been much better had he not been delayed by at least 6 years for the Great War. Debuted at 28 and played Test till almost 38 and he was the only guy that stood alone against the dominating Aussies in a time when English cricket was slowly recovering from the scars of war. A brilliant thinker of the game, he decided not to take Captaincy for his aged body, but he was among the best cricket brains, being a work horse. A handy tail-ender, Bedsar was equally good at 3rd slip - whenever he had the chance to stand there. In this line-up, he complements the two out & out fast bowlers more than Bob Willis for his tenacity and ability to bowl, long really long tight spells. A brilliant user of the new ball, he can be used for 14-15 overs from one end on first morning.
This team, apart the cricket skills and a perfect balance of bat & ball is unique in two aspects -
1. This is by far the best classical catching/fielding unit the game has seen. A classic Test fielding needs six top class catching fielders - WK and 5 catching fielders - 2 slips, Gully, Point & Forward short leg. Probably, De Kock with his keeping is the weak link of this fielding unit!!!!!, as I have five of the best ever - that cordon of Simpson, Chappell, Benaud at Gully, Worell at point and Hervey at FSL is best among any combinations.
2. In terms of game intelligence, I don’t think there is any better combinations - some of the most astute & cunning thinkers of the game are in this team - Benaud, Chappell, Simpson, Worell, Hervey, Bedsar ... this team won’t miss o out cashing on any opportunity in a Test game.
What I am missing is a quality finger spinner - there is Verity & Saqline available, but if I am allowed to pick a 12th man, I’ll go for the brilliant Indian - Vinnu Mankad; just missing by a whisker to Worell. Could have opened with him also, but Arthur Morris is just too good to be dropped for one additional all-rounder.
How is this team?
Come on people - it’s just few minutes task, take a look at all 10 teams at a glance and put 1-2-3 from your hunch: in such selections giving 2 minutes or two hours hardly matters, better do it in a haste rather than not doing it at all.
On a side note, I would like to know about my first team as well - I have made few changes from that first XI from my first selection. This is the final one - please do discuss this one as well
1. Arthur Morris - he was rated as the best opener by Bradman, at a time when Hutton was in this late 20s. With a solid technique behind, Morris was the old fashioned opener who believed that his task will be completed if he could see off the second ball on second morning!!!! He makes a left-right combo as well at the opening slot. A close call between Morris & Lawry with almost identical stats, but I went for the older Aussie for his brilliant conversion rate.
2. RB Simpson - guy averaged 55+ as opener for close to 4K runs (75% of his career); was effective leggi as well and probably the best ever first slip fielder. He made one of the best ever opening pairS in history with Lawry and he left the game at 31, only to make a come back to lead Packer reject Aussies ten years later, already well into his 40s - that dented his career stats, but at his prime he was undoubtedly the best Test opener for a decade between Hutton and BA Richards/Gavaskar. A brilliant thinker of the game as well.
3. Neil Hervey - different era, therefore incomparable, but this guy had a higher reputation among peers than most of the batsmen picked here in 10 teams. He was one of the very best ever spin players among white players and a brilliant batsman of moving ball as well; he did open few times as well. Reputed to be the most perfect No. 3 (after the guy excluded here in draft), Hervey played some of the best ever Test innings under pressure; at his prime, arguably he was the best batsman of 1950s (yes, when 3Ws & Hutton, Compton were around) - his career average got under 50 for his last 1-2 series. It’s widely accepted that Hervey’s stats could have been much better had he curbed his aggressiveness, but that’s what made him - supreme style. His versatility was endorsed by the fact that he had Test hundreds at 15 different venues and he scored FC runs across globe at similar stats. A small, lanky figure (5’7”, less than 10 stones), he was a decent WK and a brilliant close in fielder. One of few Aussies to play for both Victoria & NSW, led both of them as well, but he lead Australia only for two Tests as deputy to two guys in this list also - Benaud & Simpson, don’t think therefore it was any shame. A treat to watch & personally, I have included him in AT Australia squad of 16.
4. Mo Yousuf - wasted his career & PCB didn’t give him many Tests (probably 3 in two years) immediately after his record breaking year and then he got into trouble with PCB, otherwise guy would have finished with 10K+ runs at 55. I don’t think I need to endorse the guy as most of have seen him - an absolute treat to watch and a complete package, one that always tend to get lost among Inzi, YK, Saeed, Javed, Zaheer... but I can say that in his peak 2-3 years, he could be comparable to almost every ATG picked here.
5. IM Chappel - stats will never tell how good this guy was. For good 3-4 years, he was probably the best batsman in world when there was Sobers, Pollock, Kanhai, Simpson, Barrington .....around. His stats got a hit when he make a come back after WSC, and it was never that outstanding, but a peak IC was the hardest nut to crack under pressure & a brilliant slip fielder as well. Guy had issues with administrators and not often the most polished tongue, but no one will ever question his commitment to that baggie green cap and he was the most astute batting captain game has ever seen. He won’t be my deputy here, but that’s not for cricketing reasons.
6. Sir Frank Worell - at the end I found that Cairn actually doesn’t add enough with his combined effort - a good unity player, but just not great enough to make a telling impact in such teams. The guy was a brilliant batsman under pressure, was the best point fielder of his era, could play as opener and he was more than effective SLAO spinner - as Captain didn’t focus much on bowling, but his FC record is good and the guy was an outstanding captain as well. I am dropping Verity & Cairns for Worell and a fast bowler, we’ll see later. In my team, there are few Aussies not so reputed for their politeness- I am sure this guy Worell will balance that out considerably. He’ll be my deputy of this team.
7. Q de Kock - this guy will finish as one of the greats of the game; a better WK than Gilchrist and can better his batting stats as well. A brilliant player to come at 7, who can add invaluable 100+ runs with last 3-4 wickets in no time.
8. Richie Benaud - the guy was reputed to be arguably the greatest captain & thinker of the game; a brilliant, brilliant classical leg-spinner, one of the best ever gully fielder and more than a handy batsman at # 8. In terms of quality of runs, I don’t think there are many in the game that has contributed with bat in crisis like Benaud from bottom half of order. He played for one of the best ever generations, hence his batting wasn’t required often, but the guy had pulled Aussies from a hole with his 40s-50s almost every time it was required. I read an article somewhere - in games where AUS’s win margin was less than 50 or 3 wickets, Benaud averages like close to 50!!!!!
9. Ian Bishop - this one is new addition, instead of Cairns. This guy is probably the most underrated fast bowler of all time, who had to leave cricket at 29, when he should have been entering his prime. At his peak (1992 WACA), I believe he was as fast as anyone, coming from a 6’6” frame with a sublime smooth action. His FC stats are brilliant and most of it was acquired at Derbyshire; could bat as well.
10. I initially picked Bob Willis & Sir Alec Bedsar for 10 & 11; but eventually I had to accommodate Rabada - guy at 23 became World’s top fast bowler and already has close to 200 wickets at <23, including 4 10fors (stats that has got a hit in recent times, it was around 21 for first 170 wickets!!). This guy can end as a true ATG, can bat a bit a well & he is a complete fast bowler - from the day of his U19 heroics a stand alone prospect. Can be quite handy No. 10 as well with bat.
11. Alec Bedsar - Comparable stats, but eventually, I went for the guy with 5 10fors & 15 5fors in 51 Tests compared to Willis’s 0/16 in 90. Sir Alec’s figures could have been much better had he not been delayed by at least 6 years for the Great War. Debuted at 28 and played Test till almost 38 and he was the only guy that stood alone against the dominating Aussies in a time when English cricket was slowly recovering from the scars of war. A brilliant thinker of the game, he decided not to take Captaincy for his aged body, but he was among the best cricket brains, being a work horse. A handy tail-ender, Bedsar was equally good at 3rd slip - whenever he had the chance to stand there. In this line-up, he complements the two out & out fast bowlers more than Bob Willis for his tenacity and ability to bowl, long really long tight spells. A brilliant user of the new ball, he can be used for 14-15 overs from one end on first morning.
This team, apart the cricket skills and a perfect balance of bat & ball is unique in two aspects -
1. This is by far the best classical catching/fielding unit the game has seen. A classic Test fielding needs six top class catching fielders - WK and 5 catching fielders - 2 slips, Gully, Point & Forward short leg. Probably, De Kock with his keeping is the weak link of this fielding unit!!!!!, as I have five of the best ever - that cordon of Simpson, Chappell, Benaud at Gully, Worell at point and Hervey at FSL is best among any combinations.
2. In terms of game intelligence, I don’t think there is any better combinations - some of the most astute & cunning thinkers of the game are in this team - Benaud, Chappell, Simpson, Worell, Hervey, Bedsar ... this team won’t miss o out cashing on any opportunity in a Test game.
What I am missing is a quality finger spinner - there is Verity & Saqline available, but if I am allowed to pick a 12th man, I’ll go for the brilliant Indian - Vinnu Mankad; just missing by a whisker to Worell. Could have opened with him also, but Arthur Morris is just too good to be dropped for one additional all-rounder.
How is this team?
Wouldn't gillespie be a better choice than rabada? He overshadowed even mcgrathand warne when the aussies won in india which they themselves regarded as the final frontier.
maddgenius
ODI Debutant
- Joined
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This team has 8,9 players that I had shortlisted before the drafts stared. I had made a batting position wise priority order for the batsmen as well as pacers and spinners. Shane Warne was always going to be my first pick because there were so many top tier batsmen, pacers and all rounders that there wasn't much difference between the first choice and the 5th but Warne as a spinner stands out from the rest.
Anyways, Since I had picked Hutton in one of the earlier rounds, I was hopeful I would be able to pick another decent opener to pair him in the last round. I was torn between Langer and Simpson for my 2nd opener. Dennis Amiss, Morris and Roy Frederics were the other openers I had shortlisted . Went with Langer because many young posters of PP wouldn't know the names of the rest. Similarly 3 W's and Kanhai were the candidates for #3. Chose Kanhai over them because of his better record in Australia.
Bishop was going to be my third pacer because I was planning to pick my 3rd pacer in one of the later rounds and I was sure none of the top tier pacer would be left till then. However, I was really lucky to pick Davidson in the 9th round because some participants chose the likes of Lee, Broad and Johnson over him.
You have chosen an excellent team and your bowling attack is definitely better than 4,5 teams in this competition.
Raw pace and bounce of Bishop and Rabada, seam and work horse ability of Alec bedser, leg spin of Benaud and the versatility of Sir Frank Worrell to provide 4th seaming or 2nd spinning option depending upon the conditions.
Yousaf is probably the only player who could be replaced by someone better in your lineup just because Yousaf mostly failed against top quality spin/pace. Scored heavily in England and NZ (both teams had pretty ordinary attacks in 2000's but had a pretty mediocre record in Australia, South Africa, Sril Lanka especially against Murali and India. Yousaf's career average comes down to 42 from 52 if you remove Bangladesh, West indies and Zimbabwe against which he averaged 251, 101 and 68 respectively.
Robert
Test Star
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- Nov 4, 2007
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- 37,604
- Post of the Week
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[MENTION=151892]Thunderbolt14[/MENTION] and [MENTION=134789]maddgenius[/MENTION].
It was between MoYo & Compton, but I wanted at least one Asian in my team. Rest almost picks themselves from the rest.
Close call, I did considering JG, but I went for the potentials of Rabada.
Ab Fan
Senior Test Player
- Joined
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[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION], there is one sticky thread for ODI drafts also, would appreciate your analysis on that as well.
maddgenius
ODI Debutant
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2013
- Runs
- 9,862
Updated Standings
1- [MENTION=151884]Kaddy[/MENTION]
2- Therealab
3- Maddgenius
4- [MENTION=151892]Thunderbolt14[/MENTION] [MENTION=65183]freelance_cricketer[/MENTION] [MENTION=137148]Rayyman[/MENTION]
1- [MENTION=151884]Kaddy[/MENTION]
2- Therealab
3- Maddgenius
4- [MENTION=151892]Thunderbolt14[/MENTION] [MENTION=65183]freelance_cricketer[/MENTION] [MENTION=137148]Rayyman[/MENTION]
Thanks a lot to all the posters who voted my team and to all the participants, it was a wonderful experience to compete with such knowledgeable cricket fans.
[MENTION=133760]Abdullah719[/MENTION] Bro, am i the official winner of the this draft?
[MENTION=133760]Abdullah719[/MENTION] Bro, am i the official winner of the this draft?
Abdullah719
T20I Captain
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2013
- Runs
- 44,826
Yeah, you have the most points in the graph above. Well done, congrats!
maddgenius
ODI Debutant
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2013
- Runs
- 9,862
Updated Standings
1- [MENTION=151884]Kaddy[/MENTION]
2- Therealab
3- Maddgenius
4- [MENTION=151892]Thunderbolt14[/MENTION] [MENTION=65183]freelance_cricketer[/MENTION] [MENTION=137148]Rayyman[/MENTION]
Top 3 as per Final Standings:
1- [MENTION=151884]Kaddy[/MENTION]
2- [MENTION=151648]therealAB[/MENTION]
3- maddgenius
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